National Museum of American History Launches the Podcast “Collected: Black Feminism Re-rooted”

Explores Origins of Self-Care and More
February 22, 2022
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Collected podcast logo and Smithsonian logo

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History will release “Collected,” its first major podcast available on Apple Podcasts and other major platforms, beginning Feb. 24. It will take listeners on journeys through African American history that are particularly relevant today. The six-episode pilot season will be focused on Black feminism and will debut in weekly installments Feb. 24–March 31 under the title “Black Feminism Re-rooted.”

The hosts, museum curators Krystal Klingenberg and Crystal Moten, will be joined by notable Black women scholars, writers and activists: Brittney Cooper, Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Duchess Harris, Paris Hatcher, Feminista Jones, Courtney Marshall, Barbara Smith, Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor and Raquel Willis. Each episode will make crucial connections between history and current events, and each will explore terms and ideas circulating in mainstream society that have their roots in the work of Black feminists, including the history behind terms like intersectionality, self-care and identity politics.

“The pilot for ‘Collected’ highlights the importance of Black women thinkers and shows how their work, past and present, helps to add context to the present moment and seeks to allow the public look to the past for an understanding of our future,” Klingenberg said. “Our goal for the podcast is to connect history with the ongoing fight for civil rights and social justice in American society.”

“This podcast exemplifies excellence in public history work with its dynamic presentation of scholarship to address relevant topics, showing how Black women have and continue to make history, and honoring the museum’s mission to share the complexity of our past to help create a more just future,” said Anthea M. Hartig, the museum’s Elizabeth MacMillan Director.

A project of the museum’s African American History Curatorial Collective, the podcast is funded by the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative and produced by Smithsonian Enterprises’ Digital Studio. Listeners can find information and a teaser for the podcast and stream or download individual episodes via the companion website.

Through incomparable collections, rigorous research and dynamic public outreach, the National Museum of American History seeks to empower people to create a more just and compassionate future by examining, preserving and sharing the complexity of our past. The museum, located on Constitution Avenue N.W., between 12th and 14th streets, is open Friday through Tuesday between 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Admission is free, and passes are not required. The doors of the museum are always open online, and the virtual museum continues to expand its offerings, including online exhibitions, PK–12 educational materials and programs. The public can follow the museum on social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. For more information, go to https://americanhistory.si.edu. For Smithsonian information, the public may call (202) 633-1000.

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Valeska Hilbig

202-633-3129 

202-309-2152

hilbigv@si.edu

Melinda Machado

202-633-3129

machadom@si.edu

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